What does your family/friends think about you collecting comics

[pennynike1]

I have never in my entire life met a single person anywhere who understood why anyone would collect comics! (Except on these boards of course)

 

 

Even people who watch movies? Surely fans of movies such as X-Men and Spiderman have some understanding?

 

A few weeks ago I got a co-worker to watch the movie 300. She loved it! When I told her that the movie was based upon real events, inspired by a graphic novel, she was like really?

[Norrin_Radd]

I have never in my entire life met a single person anywhere who understood why anyone would collect comics! (Except on these boards of course)

 

 

That pretty much sums it up. It really is a smaller hobby than some collectors would like to think.

[djpinkpanther67]

My wife -

1) Collect - thinks it is crazy/geeky/nerdy of me

2) Spend large sums of money on your collection - throws a fit

3) Fly around the country to buy comics/ have dinner with fellow collectors, etc - combination of #1 and #2

[djpinkpanther67]

A few weeks ago I got a co-worker to watch the movie 300. She loved it! When I told her that the movie was based upon real events, inspired by a graphic novel based upon real events, she was like really?

Fixed that for ya!

otherwise,

I didn't know the Persian War was inspired by a graphic novel:shrug:

[He11blazer]

I have never in my entire life met a single person anywhere who understood why anyone would collect comics! (Except on these boards of course)

 

 

Even people who watch movies? Surely fans of movies such as X-Men and Spiderman have some understanding?

 

A few weeks ago I got a co-worker to watch the movie 300. She loved it! When I told her that the movie was based upon real events, inspired by a graphic novel, she was like really?

 

Buying comics, reading comics, sure, anyone can understand that. That's no different to playing video games or watching sci-fi movies. Boy's stuff.

 

But collecting comics, revering comics, spending half a month's wages on a comic... that's what nobody else can relate to! Also, no matter how many times I explain the simple, sound financial reasons for not damaging my comics, friends and relatives still try to dismiss my fears as insanity. e.g.:

 

 

HB is looking through a longbox of 1980's comics. In walks UNCLE DOUGLAS.

 

UNCLE: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

HB: Oh, just looking through some of my old comic collection...

UNCLE: WHAT!? COMICS?!?!

HB: Yeah, I used to collect them. Thought I'd put some of the ones I'm not so interested in up on ebay.

 

Uncle quickly pulls a random comic from the box and appraises it, gripping it tightly by the spine.

 

UNCLE: THEY WORTH ANYTHING THEN?

HB: That one isn't. Not anymore. But yeah, some of them are worth a fair bit.

UNCLE: REALLY?? WEIRD!!

 

Uncle gives the comic an incredulous look, then hands it back. Luckily it's a post-unity Valiant.

 

 

 

[devilsrain]

As far as collecting, anytime a new girlfriend comes into the picture, they think im nuts. I dont mention how much is spent on them because then (im almost positive) theyd walk out the door.

 

My mother doesnt understand it, my father who collects coins understands it but freaks when I tell him what I pay for certain ones. My cousins collected books and baseball cards in the past so theyre the only ones who can appreciate it.

 

Havent traveled yet (with the exception of driving an hour) but plan on doing so soon. When I do I think Ill save myself the aggravation and not mention it.

[GreatEscape]

 

From the book "Why I Like Stamp Collecting" by Ayn Rand:

 

Hobbies and relaxation

 

Hobbies and relaxation serve the same function as a vacation; they are ways to refuel your body and mind. A hobby can be a remedy for mental fatigue resulting from a profession that involves bringing work home. Often, an hour at a hobby will make you able to resume your work. It can be an effective brain-restorer.

 

The more you have done to take a vacation from work, the more purposeful you are, the more rewarding a vacation or a hobby can be. But not just any hobby. It also must meet your need for purpose. Collecting soap from different hotels will not do.

 

To the extent that a hobby resembles a career, it has the added benefit of a career; you can maintain a purpose over a long period of time. Although people can find pleasure in single occasions, such as a party or a show or even a vacation, this is a pleasure that ends right then and there, with no further consequences. Yet they need relaxation and rest from their constant, single-tracked drive. What they need is another track, but for the same train - that is, a change of subject, but using part of the same method of mental functioning.

 

A hobby allows the individual hobbyist to remain in his own private world, under his control. Depending on the hobby, he can avoid the dishonesty and irrationality of other people he often must deal with in a career. Nobody can interfere with his hobby, nobody needs to be considered or questioned or worried about. The choices, the work, the responsibility - and the enjoyment - are one's own. So is the great sense of freedom and privacy. For this reason, when one deals with fellow hobbyists, it is on a cheerful, benevolent basis. There is the sense of a "brotherhood" of people with shared values.

 

GE

 

 

[thehumantorch]

I don't really care what people think about collecting comics. I've done it forever and will continue 'till I tire of it. I think life is about finding and doing the things you love and comics fits the bill for me. Any person that thinks it is silly usually has a bad habit like smoking, gambling, drinking etc. and I will take my 'bad' habit over theirs any century. Of course, keeping my comic budget to a reasonable amount, keeps peace in the household.

 

 

[spracknetch23]

Here's the weird thing...throughout the years, I've always had a friend who was into comics too. Lately, my one friend sold off his collection, my sister's comic collecting boyfriend broke up with her and moved away, and now I'm stuck by myself in this hobby, with no like-minded friends. Now I go to cons alone, and don't really have anoyone to talk comics with. And oh yeah, my girlfriend thinks it's ok (though she wants me to sell my collection), and her family thinks i'm nuts.

[dover]

From the book "Why I Like Stamp Collecting" by Ayn Rand:

 

Hobbies and relaxation

 

Hobbies and relaxation serve the same function as a vacation; they are ways to refuel your body and mind. A hobby can be a remedy for mental fatigue resulting from a profession that involves bringing work home. Often, an hour at a hobby will make you able to resume your work. It can be an effective brain-restorer.

 

The more you have done to take a vacation from work, the more purposeful you are, the more rewarding a vacation or a hobby can be. But not just any hobby. It also must meet your need for purpose. Collecting soap from different hotels will not do.

 

To the extent that a hobby resembles a career, it has the added benefit of a career; you can maintain a purpose over a long period of time. Although people can find pleasure in single occasions, such as a party or a show or even a vacation, this is a pleasure that ends right then and there, with no further consequences. Yet they need relaxation and rest from their constant, single-tracked drive. What they need is another track, but for the same train - that is, a change of subject, but using part of the same method of mental functioning.

 

A hobby allows the individual hobbyist to remain in his own private world, under his control. Depending on the hobby, he can avoid the dishonesty and irrationality of other people he often must deal with in a career. Nobody can interfere with his hobby, nobody needs to be considered or questioned or worried about. The choices, the work, the responsibility - and the enjoyment - are one's own. So is the great sense of freedom and privacy. For this reason, when one deals with fellow hobbyists, it is on a cheerful, benevolent basis. There is the sense of a "brotherhood" of people with shared values.

 

GE

 

 

Ayn Rand is incredible. Although she would tell us that, "you do not need me to tell you that it is okay to do what you enjoy. As long as you do not infringe upon someone else's individual rights and property, do and collect what you want." At least that is what I hear every time I get ready to raise my bid.

[Jayman]

And oh yeah, my girlfriend thinks it's ok (though she wants me to sell my collection), and her family thinks i'm nuts.

 

That's usually the typical response but once they come to realize you honestly get enjoyment from your collection, they will accept it.

Then after a while as your collection grows expect those "How much do you think your comic books are worth?" questions!

[spracknetch23]

And oh yeah, my girlfriend thinks it's ok (though she wants me to sell my collection), and her family thinks i'm nuts.

 

That's usually the typical response but once they come to realize you honestly get enjoyment from your collection, they will accept it.

Then after a while as your collection grows expect those "How much do you think your comic books are worth?" questions!

 

She already asks me that...she wants me to sell off my collection to pay off my student loans. I admit that does sound enticing...I don't think my comics are worth enough though.

[Comicdey]

I mentioned to my wife that the Iron Man movie likely increased my TOS collection value by 30%......and I got the sarcastic comment.........about "wouldn't you have to be selling them".........................(*&(*($(&^%)*( ..................I love my wife but she sometimes knows how to push my buttons.......I guess it's not real to her until the moneys in the accoutn........it's not like she's ever made any money off the clothes, shoes, and other things she's purchased in the 14 years we've been married. .......Rant Over....back to the regularly scheduled show.

[Flash105]

I am sitting with my wife reading this post to her..... She told me to write that she is indifferent to my collecting. But of course I got that look when she said it.

 

But now the truth.... She thinks I am nuts. She would rather have the cash in the bank. So I stopped shipping my books to the house and ship them to work.

 

My goal the second time around is to enjoy the hobby and make sure every modern book I buy ends up dogeared because I haved loaned it to people to get them interested in our hobby. So in eight months I have four converts. So I have some people to share conversation with at work and on the weekend.

 

[Fazybones]

I only had one collecting friend from around here ( I can't count

Greggy, I think I annoy him ) and I could spend hours in

this guy's basement as he has comics three deep about six inches

apart covering all four walls of his collecting room. My visits were

stopped by his Wife when she seen me and can't believe we could

spend hours just talking and looking at all his cool books.

 

The Longshoremen at work call me Spider-Woman and it's an

improvement from what's written on some of the bathroom walls

about me. At first most people make fun of me collecting

comics until I show them a few books or values they are worth. I

am getting sick of co-workers bringing in their copies of Alpha-Flight

# 1 or similar books and wanting to retire from me selling them on

e-bay for them.

 

My Husband has been really cool and I know when I'm at work

he carefully reads my DC war books and denys it. He collects

books on Military History and trys to understand, but wishes I

would slow down my buying or even try selling a few.

 

I haven't made it to a big Comic-con and hopefully I can make

it to one next year with any luck. That is my biggest dream in

this hobby and I would love to attend a Forum dinner and meet

a few of you characters.

 

Most people just don't get it and I just laugh at them and tell them

they're not worthy of joining the Marvel Universe. I know that pizzes

them off. (thumbs u

[EastCoastExchange-migratio]

Not sure if this was posted before but what typical reaction do you get from friends and family when they find out you:

 

1) Collect

2) Spend large sums of money on your collection

3) Fly around the country to buy comics/ have dinner with fellow collectors, etc.

 

They think I'm a idot for collecting comics, but like everything else I simply don't care.

[FullBLOWN]

Luckily my wife is very supportive and attending a comic convention is considered a family time.

[Black Lantern]

in most cases, people think it's crazy to collect so many comics. It's not really the fact that i read them, but that i have thousands of them at home. some friends were astonished when i told them about the value of some books. a good friend of mine likes what i do. to some others i don't speak much about comics because they wouldn't understand. my father and my girlfriend think it's a waste of money but would be the first to think different, if they would see how much money i could make by selling them. but my girlfriend knows that they are valuable but she likes the money more, when it's on a bank account. the only person who really is proud of my collection is my mother.

[Rodey]

My fiance is cool with it. She knows it makes me happy and keeps me in check if and when I start to spend a little too much. She's even been to a few cons with me, and pokes of me because of how excited I get when I first walk into the convention.

 

My parents never were bothered by it. I remember my dad taking me to our LCS to buy UXM #1 (which was about $500 at the time). He ended up getting into a yelling match with the owner because the guy wouldn't take it out of the case to show me even though I was interested in buying it. So who knows what condition it was really in.

 

Other than that, my close friends read comics. And I just got one hooked on Green Lantern stuff.

[JBerg]

i dont have a family so to speak of my own. im a student, so no serious girlfriends at the moment. my siblings think its nerdy, but i have quite a sporty side to me as well. my friends dont really know. i like to keep it to myself and share it with fellow collectors.